NBA Playoffs, 2005

[Brando70]

I remember Miller missing more end of the game 3s than I do him making them.

Well when you have around an 18 season career and average over 15 ppg for about 14 of those, your going to have your shares of misses. I don't think most people think of choking when it comes to Reggie Miller, however.

Sorry, I think I forgot a word. I meant to say ALOT more I have seen him miss than make. Of course you are going to miss more than half, but I'd like to see the statistical percentage of buzzer beating 3s, I think you would be surprised.

You'll have a lot of time to analyze it when your team gets bounced because Doc Rivers is the second coming of Don Nelson.

[Parker]

I'm confident that we will pull this series out, mainly because Indiana has the depth of a kiddie pool. Our bench should bring energy and enthusiasm, their bench might as well hand out sleeping pills when they come into the game.

[ScoopBrady]

WTF, will that Ethiopian just retire already.

Real classy.

I apologize if it offended any Ethiopians here, I was angry at the time. But I don't see why it was particularly offensive. No different than if I had said Yugoslavian, Brazilian, Lithuanian, Nigerian etc.

Come off it Parker. You don't know why it's offensive? You think it's no different than saying Yugoslavian, Brazilian, Lithuanian, Nigerian, etc.? If Reggie Miller was Ethiopian there would be nothing offensive about it. Since he was born in California your remark was nothing but racist and classless. </yourlife>

[Brando70]

I'm confident that we will pull this series out, mainly because Indiana has the depth of a kiddie pool. Our bench should bring energy and enthusiasm, their bench might as well hand out sleeping pills when they come into the game.

Your bench only works when it's used properly. Mark Blount getting serious minutes? Now they have to go play two games in an arena that will be going apeshit with the chance to see Miller for possibly the last time.

The one thing an NBA coach does more than anything else is inspire confidence in his players. The second thing he does is use those players wisely. Rivers right now is getting a big fat F in both regards (Bill Simmons has been spot on about this). Boston is clearly more talented, but Rivers is going to screw them up.

[Parker]

How on earth can it be racist if you use only a country and not a slang term of any sort. It's nationalistic if anything.

Was it not confirmed by Miller at some point that his ancestry was from Ethiopia? I apologize if this is not the case. But it's not racist, just possibly inaccurate.

I think the problem is some of you have hangups and wrong impressions of Ethiopia thanks to tv largely. Yes, there is much poverty there, but actually, there are other countries now with larger poverty rates. And if you visit some of its larger cities, it's actually quite a nice place with relatively wealthy people and plenty of gold in fact. So I do not consider attributing someone to this country as derogatory.

[Parker]

I'm confident that we will pull this series out, mainly because Indiana has the depth of a kiddie pool. Our bench should bring energy and enthusiasm, their bench might as well hand out sleeping pills when they come into the game.

Your bench only works when it's used properly. Mark Blount getting serious minutes? Now they have to go play two games in an arena that will be going apeshit with the chance to see Miller for possibly the last time.

The one thing an NBA coach does more than anything else is inspire confidence in his players. The second thing he does is use those players wisely. Rivers right now is getting a big fat F in both regards (Bill Simmons has been spot on about this). Boston is clearly more talented, but Rivers is going to screw them up.

Cmon give the guy a chance. Nelson has more than 40 years of failures.

Blount was one of our best players last year and started most games. For whatever reason he is not nearly as effective this season, but still, he is good enough to get good minutes off the bench.

[ScoopBrady]

How on earth can it be racist if you use only a country and not a slang term of any sort. It's nationalistic if anything.

Was it not confirmed by Miller at some point that his ancestry was from Ethiopia? I apologize if this is not the case. But it's not racist, just possibly inaccurate.

I think the problem is some of you have hangups and wrong impressions of Ethiopia thanks to tv largely. Yes, there is much poverty there, but actually, there are other countries now with larger poverty rates. And if you visit some of its larger cities, it's actually quite a nice place with relatively wealthy people and plenty of gold in fact. So I do not consider attributing someone to this country as derogatory.

You're fooling nobody with your supposed naivete. Here's my quote:

WTF, will that Ethiopian just retire already.

Real classy.

How do you know I didn't mean that it was real classy that you want him to retire already? You knew it had to do with the Ethiopian comment. You even apologized and said you were angry when you wrote that. Anger and racism go hand in hand. Where I come from your comment is about as derogatory as they come. Your comment was classless so I called you on it. I'm not going to reply to your witty response to this post since my point is not argue but to call you out on your classless comment, I've done that.

To get back on NBA Playoff talk, I'm thrilled with how the Bulls are playing in the playoffs so far. You're right Brando, Skiles is doing a hell of a job. Now they just need to go and take one in Washington and that should wrap up the series.

[Dave]

Blount was one of our best players last year and started most games. For whatever reason he is not nearly as effective this season, but still, he is good enough to get good minutes off the bench.

It is called playing for a guaranteed contract. He now has a fat wallet and no incitive to give a sh*t for the next year or so.

Not the first, won't be the last. But you always have to be weary of perennial underacheivers that suddenly come to live in the last year of a contract.

I'm hoping the crowd at the Fieldhouse can energize the team the same way it did immediately following the suspensions. They really helped lift a 6 and 7-man rotation that included a couple stiffs. Of course, Tinsley was channelling the spirit of Mark Jackson during those games and Johnson will be lucky to play half as well.

[dbdynsty25]

Scott Skiles proved he deserves coach of the year last night. He has managed his players better than anyone else this season, getting quality minutes out of every player on the roster. Wizards came out and were killing the Bulls, and he completely switched things up and found the right group to get them back in the game. D'Antoni and McMillan certainly did tremendous jobs, but there is no coach getting more with less than Skiles.

One small issue. Stick the Bulls in the West and they don't make the playoffs. D'Antoni and McMillan got their teams to the top of the best overall conference (by a long shot) in basketball. The East has two legitimate title contenders...then a bunch of Lakers and Clipper type teams...some talent, but not nearly enough to make the playoffs in the West. That's why my vote would go to one of those two, rather than Skiles.

BTW, I'm not discounting what Skiles did...he turned a pretty crappy franchise in the past 5+ years and turned it into a playoff team regardless of the conference. Plus, he did it with a lot of rookies...another bonus. I just don't think he did the BEST job in the NBA.

[Parker]

I pretty much figured it out because you weren't the only one to respond to my comment, perhaps I should have used more than just your quote.

I generally apologize as quickly as I can when it is apparant I have offended people to calm the situation, and then try to figure out exactly what I did wrong.

You still have not explained why you thought it was a derogatory comment in the first place. My guess is you have certain stereotypes about Ethiopians that I failed to dismiss with my last post.

Derogatory is a strong word for saying that one of the NBA's most experienced players who has considered retiring himself and has 1 good game out of 10 should hang it up.

[wco81]

Actually, the Bulls have been getting those high lottery picks for years. It was only a matter of time before that talent developed. They had back luck with Jay Williams but then Gordon is playing a lot better than people probably expected.

Curry and Chandler were bound to develop into effective players.

But looks like Nocioni and Gordon as well as Deng played better as rookies than expected.

To Skiles credit, he played them rather than many coaches who would be reluctant to give a lot of minutes to them, even if they were high picks.

[dbdynsty25]

To Skiles credit, he played them rather than many coaches who would be reluctant to give a lot of minutes to them, even if they were high picks.

But then again when you have all those #1 picks...you likely don't have many veterans to fill the roster. He didn't have much of a choice but to play them.

[Jared]

Parker,

Keep up the troll job and you'll be banned quickly. My tolerance for stupid bull has decreased a LOT. I'm much more inclined to just get rid of you instead of having to referee every thread you're in. This is your warning.

(And before the whining commences, this refers to the Ethiopian comment and trying to troll with the Rip Hamilton comments earlier in the thread. I can't stand the throw out a trolling comment and then play stupid game that a few people have used on these forums.)

[Parker]

I don't quite understand what you are talking about, I didn't bring up Hamilton, but I'll be more careful from now on.

[Brando70]

Actually, the Bulls have been getting those high lottery picks for years.

Tell that to the Clippers!

DB, you have good points about East vs. West. The Bulls were only .500 against the West. I suppose that makes McMillan's job with the Sonics more remarkable (not to take anything away from the Suns, but they have much more talent to work with).

It won't matter, because even if they get past the Wizards, they will get beaten by the Heat in the next round. I see this is a great learning experience for Chicago. They have a very solid foundation for the future now, and hopefully the rooks will avoid any sophomore slumps. If they can toughen Curry up just a little more, they could be serious contenders in the East for years.

[wco81]

Clippers are cheap. If they do develop good players, Sterling won't keep them (although letting Richardson go was probably justified since Maggette plays the same kind of game/role).

All I know is Arenas, Pietrus and Biedrins this year didn't get meaningful playing time until well into the second half of their rookie seasons. Instead, they played a lot of older journeymen players who had no long-term value to the franchise in the foolish pursuit for a playoff berth.

People could see in practices that these rookies were at least as deserving of playing time as many of the vets but these coaches were too worried about making a good showing to keep their jobs. So unless you're talking about a heralded player picked in the top 5 of the draft, some coaches will be conservative.

Maybe Skiles didn't have to deal with high expectations so he went with the youth.

[bdoughty]

I don't quite understand what you are talking about, I didn't bring up Hamilton, but I'll be more careful from now on.

Page 4

Although the Pistons have an accomplished flopper of their own with Hamilton.


The reminder as to why it is trolling

http://www.digitalsportspage.com/module ... p+hamilton

[Parker]

And Hamilton flopping has something to do with you lying or at the very least bringing up our previous argument about my opinion of him? You obviously were trying to bait me into another argument.

[bdoughty]

And Hamilton flopping has something to do with you lying or at the very least bringing up our previous argument about my opinion of him? You obviously were trying to bait me into another argument.

Nope you said you did not UNDERSTAND (your word not mine) why Jared mentioned Hamilton, I simply provided your QUOTE from this thread and the reason behind his brining it up.

Now that the FACTS have been established, we can continue discussing the NBA Playoffs and San Antonios drive to another title.

[Parker]

If that was trolling, then ban me now, because that's downright ridiculous. Honestly, our previous argument did not even cross my mind when I said that. I doubt you can say the same.

[bdoughty]

So what teams are going to make the Championship?

I am going with the Spurs and Pistons with the Spurs winning in 6. Of course the Spurs are a sentimental choice and DB's Suns will probably be representing the West.

[dbdynsty25]

Of course the Spurs are a sentimental choice and DB's Suns will probably be representing the West.

I don't know if I'd go that far yet. If Marion keeps getting taken out going hard to the hoop, he's bound to break a wrist or something (not just the sever sprain that happened). It's not good when your best all-around player hits the floor from 5 feet in the air...if it keeps happening, the Suns will be screwed. I saw our proverbial hopes go up in flames as he rolled around on the ground during game 1 on Battier's flagrant.

Memphis is proving to be the challenge that I thought they would be. Should be interesting as more teams try to bang with the Suns as the playoffs go on. I'm not sure how much of a pounding they can take.

[Inuyasha]

These are the best playoff first round mathup's I've seen in a while. I am glad they extended the first round to 7 games.

I can see the all these series except for the pistons/sixers and heat/nj being tied 2-2 by the end of the weekend.

[wco81]

These are the best playoff first round mathup's I've seen in a while. I am glad they extended the first round to 7 games.

I can see the all these series except for the pistons/sixers and heat/nj being tied 2-2 by the end of the weekend.

That's what it seemed like from the outset, a lot of interesting matchups.

I don't think Dallas-Houston will be tied, even though I'd picked Dallas in 7.

Nor Seattle-Sacto, even though I'd picked Sacto.

A good mix of blowouts and close games. Even then, most of the series seem pretty competitive, like how the Pacers came back from a blowout in Game 1.

A lot of the teams down 2-0 have a huge hurdle though, even if they're expected to win at home.

[Brando70]

How does an alleged pro-basketball team get smoked by a 150-pound Social Security recipient, a man with one good shoulder, and a recent parolee?

Pacers in 6 actually seems generous toward the Celtics.